What Stops You?
by SqueakGirl
Summary: In which one evening, Thor demands Loki braid his hair.


Hello again. I've written a new Thor fan fic. This one's based off of a silly conversation I had in a Avengers roleplay.

**Summary: **In which one evening, Thor demands Loki braid his hair. **  
**

**Rating:** K+

**Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters. This is simply for fun and writing practice.

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**"What Stops You?"**

The rain had not let up even after three days. Sitting in the corner of his brother's room in Stark Tower, Loki watched droplets of water race their way down the window. A book lay forgotten in his lap. He rested his chin upon the palm of his hand, gazing unseeing at the darkened streets below.

He had grown bored with the book Thor had brought him, and now with his brother absent for the moment, Loki had nothing to do. He did not fancy watching the strange tel-a-vision Midgardians found so fascinating. The loud noises and constant scene switching left Loki with a headache.

Glancing at the door to the hall, Loki debated on whether or not he should try picking the lock with magic. Thor had a new habit of locking him in whenever he went out. Not that that could actually stop Loki, but Loki was trying his hand at keeping promises at least to Thor. Albeit they were small promises like staying in the room, not breaking into other people's personal belongings, and refraining from taking over New York City.

Just as Loki wondered which spell would pick the lock fast enough, the door opened and a sopping wet Thor entered the room. He dropped Mjölnir to the ground, closing the door behind him. He threw off his red cape and tossed it at a chair. It missed and crumpled to the ground. Heading towards the bathroom on the opposite side of the room, Thor disappeared and returned carrying a fluffy white towel.

"Good evening, brother." Thor smiled.

Loki picked up his book. "You're dripping all over the floor."

Thor glanced down at his feet.

"Yes. It will dry."

"If I slip, it shall be your fault."

Thor chuckled, sitting down on the end of the bed. "I have never known you to be so graceless you'd slip on a mere puddle of water, brother."

"There are first times for everything," Loki quipped, keeping his nose in his book. Thor chuckled and began drying his hair with the towel.

A few minutes passed while Thor dried himself. Loki peeked over the cover of his novel.

"Must you insist on doing that on the bed? The coverlet is already soaked." Loki snapped his book closed and stood up. "I shall not be the one to sleep on that side."

To prove his point, he made his way around the bed and sat down with his back to Thor.

Thor continued to dry his hair, humming a tune he'd heard the previous day on Tony's radio.

"Stop that." Loki insisted. Thor turned.

"You seem to be in a foul mood today, brother. What is the matter?" Thor smiled.

"I am in no 'mood', Thor. I simply do not appreciate the area in which I sleep being drenched with rain water." Loki pointed to Mjölnir still sitting in front of the door. "And have you placed that there for me to trip on in the night?"

Thor glanced at his hammer and shrugged.

"Will you braid my hair?" Thor asked as if he hadn't heard a word of Loki's complaints.

"What?"

"Will you braid my hair, brother?"

"What?"

Thor frowned. "You know the method in which you twist my hair –"

"I know what braiding hair is, Thor. I am simply confused as to why you suddenly want me to do it. And were you not listening? I want you to move your hammer. It does not belong in front of the door."

Thor stood up, the towel around his shoulders, and picked up Mjölnir. He walked to Loki's side and plucked the book out of his hands. He dropped it to the floor and set his hammer on top of it. Grinning, he sat down next to his brother.

"Will you braid my hair now?"

"And people wonder why I dislike you. They do not see how you treat me behind closed doors," Loki sighed, rubbing his temple. He gave his trapped book a fleeting look. "Fine. Turn around."

Thor obliged. He sat crossed legged, his chin in his palms. Loki combed his fingers through his brother's hair, catching the knots and yanking them free. Thor flinched as Loki found a particularly large tangle and tugged it until Thor's head yanked backwards.

"I suppose a request for you to be gentler would go unnoticed?" Thor murmured into his hand as Loki pulled again.

"What? Cannot the Mighty Thor handle a few knots in his hair?" Loki sniggered as he made as much effort as possible to pull Thor's hair between his fingers. He also used a bit of magic to dry the threads as he combed. It would make braiding easier.

"I feel you have combed it well enough. Please just braid."

Loki stopped. "Do you want me to do this?"

"Would you like your book back?"

Thor glanced over his shoulder and smiled. Loki glared. Taking a chunk of his brother's hair, he parted it in three. He then took one of the sections and divided it into three again. Slowly, he began weaving the strands together into a thin braid that when finished would fall about his brother's right shoulder.

"Remember," Thor started.

"Hmm?"

"Remember how you would do this all the time when we were children?" Thor laughed.

Loki twisted the ends of Thor's hair between his fingers, finishing the first braid. He waved his fingers over the hair and a piece of red twine appeared to wrap itself about the braid to hold it in place. Loki moved onto the next section of hair.

Smiling, Loki said, "I recall that Sif had for a few seasons taken to braiding her own hair with flowers entwined. You found the look so appealing that you came to me and asked that I braid flowers in your hair."

Thor gave a slight nod. "And you could not find any flowers that would work as well as the ones Sif had so you found a vine you thought pretty."

"Ah, yes."

"It was poisonous," Thor continued. "I broke out in a horrid rash. Twas a mean trick, brother. I hope you do not plan to repeat it now." Thor chuckled, knocking his fist lightly against Loki's knee.

Loki paused halfway through the second braid.

"I did not tie a poisonous vine in your hair on purpose," Loki stated.

Thor snorted. "Of course you probably _never_ intended to do it. But I know you. When the opportunity presents itself, you take it."

"But I did not."

Thor laughed again.

"You do not believe me?"

"Do you expect me to?"

Thor turned around, a smile still on his lips. It faltered when he saw the serious look on his brother's face.

"You know, Thor, I was quite upset when I learned that that plant had made you ill. I had confused it for another type of vine, one that gave off a pleasing aroma. They were similar in color and shape."

Thor raised an eyebrow. "You could not tell them apart? What about the scent. Clearly one had the aroma you desired while the other didn't. Could you not tell then?"

Loki stood up from the bed.

"I was a child."

"A mischievous child."

Loki rolled his eyes and moved to Mjölnir. He pointed his toe at the trapped book.

"You can braid the rest of your hair. I've grown bored. Pick up your hammer and let me have my book," he commanded.

Thor frowned. "Have I upset you, brother?"

Loki threw his arms into the air. "What tipped you off first? Yes, I am upset. Now, pick up your damn hammer and give me back my book. I plan to retire to the common areas for the night."

He kicked the hammer lightly.

"Move it."

Thor sighed. "Brother…."

"Move the hammer."

Thor pushed himself off the bed. He lifted the hammer, and Loki snatched up his book. He strode to the door, looking nowhere but forward.

Just as he reached out to take the door handle, Loki slipped on the puddle of water Thor had left and jerked forward, banging his forehead against the door. Loki reeled backwards, clamping a hand to his head. Thor guffawed behind him.

Loki turned around.

"S-shut up, Thor!"

Thor bit his lip, holding in his laughter.

"It was funny," he managed to say.

"Of course it was, Thor. I am nothing, but a joke to you now, am I not? You do not listen to me, you do not believe me when I claim to not have poisoned you, and you don't let me have any privacy." He gestured to the floor and to the bed. "You trail water everywhere and you take my things and toss them upon the floor. You eat all the Poptarts and yet I am the one sent to the grocers to procure more. You leave your cape and your helmet and you hammer anywhere you please. You lock me in this room when you leave the tower as if I'm some hapless pet that will make a mess if not kept caged. And…." Loki stopped, pausing for breath.

"And….?" Thor pressed. He had come to the edge of the bed to better listen to his brother's rant.

Loki crossed his arms. "My mind grows blank for any further complaints, but I assure you there are myriads more."

"I see."

"Yes."

"You are lucky I have not strangled you in your sleep already," Loki warned. He stalked back to Thor and grabbed the towel around his shoulders. He twisted the ends until the fabric was taut against Thor's throat. Thor remained still, watching his brother's hands. Loki made no further move.

"What stops you?"

The clock on the nightstand clicked audibly in the silence that followed the question. A few moments passed with neither brother speaking. Finally, Loki grinned and stepped away, pulling the towel with him. He walked to the puddle of water near the door and dropped the towel. He pressed his foot down, soaking up the water.

"I don't know."

Thor clasped his hands together and leaned forward.

"Perhaps you'd find your life rather dull without me." Thor gave his brother a small smile.

"You give yourself too much credit." Loki mumbled still mopping up the water. "But that's always been your problem."

Thor watched Loki clean up the remaining water in silence. He continued to smile. Loki ignored him and picked up the towel, tossing it into the bathroom.

"Do you still intend to spend your night out in the common area?"

Loki tucked his book under his arm.

"Yes."

"Will you finish braiding my hair first?"

Loki shook his head, a smile back on his lips.

"You are incorrigible, brother."

He returned to the bed and sat down behind Thor. Once more he took his brother's hair in his hands and began to twist the strands. Silence filled the room. Loki finished the second braid, secured it, and moved on to the last bunch of hair. He weaved quickly and sloppily.

With the last braid finished, Loki stood and left the room.

Thor remained on the bed, lightly touching the three thin braids.

"Thank you."

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Out in one of the many common areas of Stark Tower, Loki reclined upon a long leather couch with his book propped up in his lap. The room was dark save for the small light at his shoulder. A large clock hanging above the door read 12:34 a.m. He'd been in the common area for about two hours now.

Loki heard Thor's heavy footsteps before his brother appeared out of the gloom of the hallway. He paused in the threshold.

"What do you want now?" Loki closed his book.

Thor moved to the couch. He sat down.

"I changed the sheets and covers upon the bed. They are no longer wet," Thor explained without preface. "I have also collected my belongings and placed them in their proper sections in the closet."

Loki gave him a deadpanned look. "Do you wish for a medal, brother?"

"I wish you'd come to bed. If you'd like, I will braid your hair in the morning," Thor offered. He nudged his knee against Loki's.

Loki sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"That won't be necessary."

"So, you will come to bed." Thor pressed Loki's knee again.

"I might as well. This couch is not as comfortable as I first thought."

Thor beamed. The two rose from the couch and walked together towards the hallway.

"You never answered my question from earlier, brother," Loki began when the two of them had returned to Thor's room. "Why the sudden desire to have me braid you hair so late at night?"

Thor had shuffled beneath the covers of the bed and lay with his arms tucked behind his head. He still sported the braids.

"Today I patrolled the city with Captain Rogers. He caught sight of a Midgardian vehicle known as a bicycle and told me a tale of the very first one he had owned. He explained how happy he was to ride it down the streets of his neighborhood. He then asked if I had any fond memories of my own childhood." Thor smiled. "You braiding my hair were one of the first recollections that came to mind."

Loki did not respond. It wasn't until several hours later as Thor lay snoring gently beside him, that Loki reached over and placed one hand over his brother's throat. He rested it there, feeling his brother's breath move beneath his fingertips. Slowly, he inched his hand away and tangled his fingers in Thor's three braids. He fell asleep clutching at them.

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Thank you for reading. Please feel free to review.


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